Crock-Pot® Blog

Paleo Diet Slow Cooker Tips

The Paleo Diet was founded by Loren Cordain, Ph.D., and has been adopted by many nutrition enthusiasts for years. People looking to get down to their ideal weight and improve their health often turn to this diet as a way of accomplishing their goals. Even if you don't plan on following every guideline of the Paleo lifestyle, you might want to have a few recipes in your back pocket to try when you want to prepare a nutritious, naturally produced meal for your family. Here are some ways to incorporate the diet into your slow cooking routine.

Meat is packed with protein.

Always Include Some Type of Protein
A large portion of the Paleo Diet consists of protein, which can be found in meat like chicken, fish and steak. Be sure to feature one of these as the main ingredient in your slow cooker recipe. Recipes like pulled pork and rump roast are easily prepared and packed with protein that help you stay in line with your diet. A slow cooker is the optimal device for meats, as it provides slow, steady temperatures to evenly cook meat and extract all of its flavors.

Load up on Fruits
The Paleo Diet was founded on the premise that the best foods for humans are the ingredients that our ancestors survived on back in the hunter-gatherer days. Fruits were widely available, and as a result, it's important to incorporate a large serving of them into your diet. Fortunately, it's easy to reap the benefits of these natural ingredients when you have a slow cooker doing all of the work for you while you're out running errands, going to work or picking up the kids at practice. Follow these recipes for a hearty mango chili, or if you'd prefer something with less spice, try the papaya rice pudding.

Yellow peppers are a great substitute for tortilla chips.

Swap out Carbs
Whether you follow the Paleo Diet or you just want to be more health-conscious, you might consider cutting back on carbs. One easy way to do so without changing up your entire lifestyle is to swap them out with similar ingredients. Essentially, you're tricking your body into fulfilling your cravings while maintaining a healthy diet.

Get creative with your substitutions. Try swapping out tortilla chips with sliced yellow bell peppers and topping them with shredded chicken and salsa to mimic chicken nachos without the carbs. The best part is, you can make the shredded seasoned chicken right in your slow cooker. Everything from the bright color of the peppers to the satisfying crunch will be the same as nachos - but more nutritious.